(Diptera: Culicidae) of the Yukon
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Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 43 (February, 2021) PEACH ET AL. A Guide to the Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Yukon Daniel AH Peach1*, Sean McCann1, and Peter Belton1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada * Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are highly diverse, with over 3500 extant species worldwide. At least 33 species occur in the Yukon Territory. Correct identification of mosquitoes, as well as knowledge of their ecology, natural history, blood-feeding preferences, and ability to vector pathogens are essential for effective control measures and mosquito research. The Yukon is home to unending hordes of mosquitoes, and here we provide a comprehensive guide to their identification and biology. This guide may be of interest to students of Yukon natural history, mosquito-borne diseases, and wetland ecology, as well as mosquito control professionals, and is formatted for convenient printing and use. Published online February 01, 2021 Introduction updated list of mosquitoes known from the Yukon, The Yukon Territory is home to a variety of different bringing together the scattered literature on all 33 species eco-districts, from towering mountains and moist Pacific known from that territory. We also provide keys to the Maritime conditions in the southwest to coastal plains adult females of Yukon mosquitoes, including those of and Arctic conditions in the north (Smith et al., 2004 an additional 5 species that are expected to occur there. ). Mean annual temperatures are below freezing, with While many of the mosquito-borne viruses found mean winter temperatures of around -20 oC and mean in southern Canada have not been reported from the temperatures during July, the warmest month, of 10-15 Yukon, there are two endemic arboviruses vectored by oC (Oswald and Jenyk, 1977). However, The Yukon is mosquitoes: snowshoe hare virus (SSHV) and Northway a land of extremes. Daily temperature fluctuations of 30 virus (NORV). SSHV is an Orthobunyavirus of the oC are not uncommon (Smith et al. 2004) and the lowest California encephalitis virus (CEV) serogroup primarily recorded temperature in North America, -63 oC, is from found in snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) and arctic the Territory (Thomson 1958). The Yukon Territory is ground squirrels (Citellus undulatus) (McLean et al., also home to seemingly unending hordes of mosquitoes. 1972). Aedes communis is thought to be the primary Some of these belong to species that are widespread and vector of SSHV, though Ae. nigripes, Ae. hexodontus, abundant, easily surviving cold winters and thriving and Cs. inornata may also be vectors, and the virus has during brief summer conditions, while others are found in been isolated from a variety of other species (McLean low numbers only in certain habitats, at the very northern et al., 1972, 1974; Ritter & Feltz, 1974; McLean & margin of their distribution. In the last review of the Lester, 1984). SSHV can infect humans and livestock mosquitoes of the Yukon (Belton & Belton, 1990) a total and while clinical cases are rare, they do occur (Heath of 28 species were known to have been recorded from et al., 1989; Meier-Stephenson et al., 2007; Goff et al., the Territory, with an additional 4 species that probably 2012; Lau et al., 2017). NORV was originally isolated occur there. Since this review two additional territorial from mosquitoes in Alaska (Ritter & Feltz, 1974) and has records have been made and three of the species that since been found in the Yukon and Northwest Territories were thought to exist in the Yukon have been confirmed (McLean et al., 1977, McLean et al., 1979a, McLean (Peach 2017, 2018; Peach and Poirier 2020). Changes et al. 1979b). Antibodies for NORV have been found in the distribution records of several species in British in humans and large ungulates (Walters et al., 1999), Columbia indicate that there may be additional species in but no clinical infections have been reported. Western the territory that should be considered when identifying equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and eastern equine specimens. The purpose of this paper is to provide an encephalitis (EEEV) have not been reported from the The Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification is a product of the Biological Survey of Canada and the Entomological Society of Canada. doi:10.3752/cjai.2021.43 1 Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 43 (February, 2021) PEACH ET AL. Yukon (McLean et al., 1974; Artsob, 1990), though accessible locations, often close to population centres. Burton & McLintock (1970) did find serum neutralizing There is a dearth of information on the bionomics of antibodies for WEEV in caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Yukon mosquitoes, and western and northern mosquitoes the Northwest Territories. West Nile virus (WNV) and St. in general. We have had to rely on information from a Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) have both been detected variety of other areas to provide a background on some of in migratory birds in Alaska (Pedersen et al., 2016), and the species in this guide. While information from adjacent may similarly be present in the Yukon. While mosquito areas such as Alaska or Northern British Columbia is transmission of these pathogens seems unlikely due to likely comparable, much information comes from much the short duration of the growing season, with respect to farther afield and one should be aware this may not be WNV some climate models predict increasing prevalence reflective of western/northern populations of even the in adjacent areas (Chen et al., 2012) which may also same species. indicate increased risk in the Yukon. Nomenclature used here follows Wilkerson et al. Most of the records in the Yukon are the results of (2015) with respect to generic names within the tribe collecting in the early to mid 20th century (Dyar, 1919, Aedini, and subgeneric names are included to show the 1920, 1921; Freeman, 1952; Curtis, 1953), with some earlier name changes found in Darsie & Ward (2005). sporadic efforts made up to the late 20th century (Nelson We also follow Darsie & Ward (2005) in considering 1977; Wood et al. 1979; McLean et al. 1981; McLean & Aedes (Ochlerotatus) idahoensis a subspecies of Aedes Lester 1984; Wood 1989 pers. comm. in Belton & Belton (Ochlerotatus) spencerii. 1990). However, there is not just a paucity of collecting For additional information see guides to all Canadian records but also unevenness in their distribution. Outside mosquito species by Wood et al. (1979) and Thielman and of the main transportation corridors most of the Yukon is Hunter (2007), to the mosquitoes of British Columbia by inaccessible other than on foot, by canoe, or by air, and Belton (1983), to the mosquitoes of Alaska by Gjullin et many of the areas that can be reached by automobile are al. (1961), and to the mosquitoes of North America, north only accessible on rough, pitted gravel roads. Due to this of Mexico, by Darsie & Ward (2005). lack of access most collecting has been done from easily- Table 1: Checklist of mosquitoes of the Yukon. †Unrecorded but expected to occur in the Yukon. Aedes (Aedes) cinereus Meigen Aedes (Ochlerotatus) nigripes (Zetterstedt) Aedes (Aedimorphus) vexans (Meigen) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) nigromaculis (Ludlow)† Aedes (Ochlerotatus) campestris Dyar and Knab Aedes (Ochlerotatus) pionips Dyar Aedes (Ochlerotatus) canadensis (Theobald) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) provocans (Walker)† Aedes (Ochlerotatus) cataphylla Dyar Aedes (Ochlerotatus) pullatus (Coquillett) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) aboriginis Dyar† Aedes (Ochlerotatus) punctor (Kirby) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) churchillensis Ellis and Brust† Aedes (Ochlerotatus) riparius Dyar and Knab Aedes (Ochlerotatus) communis (de Geer) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) spencerii ssp. spencerii (Theobald) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) decticus Howard, Dyar, and Knab Aedes (Ochlerotatus) sticticus (Meigen) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) diantaeus Howard, Dyar, and Knab Aedes (Ochlerotatus) ventrovittis Dyar† Aedes (Ochlerotatus) euedes Howard, Dyar, and Knab Anopheles (Anopheles) earlei Vargas Aedes (Ochlerotatus) excrucians (Walker) Coquillettidia (Coquillettidia) perturbans (Walker) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) fitchii (Felt and Young) Culex (Culex) tarsalis Coquillett Aedes (Ochlerotatus) flavescens (Müller) Culex (Neoculex) territans Walker Aedes (Ochlerotatus) hexodontus Dyar Culiseta (Culiseta) alaskaensis (Ludlow) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) impiger (Walker) Culiseta (Culiseta) impatiens (Walker) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) implicatus Vockeroth Culiseta (Culiseta) incidens (Thomson) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) intrudens Dyar Culiseta (Culiseta) inornata (Williston) Aedes (Ochlerotatus) mercurator Dyar Culiseta (Culicella) morsitans (Theobald) General Tips for Mosquito Identification • Watch out for missing scales or setae by checking for empty pits where they should be. • Northern specimens seem to have reduced abundance of pale scales, so check for these very carefully in steps that use them. • Take care when collecting specimens to keep them as undamaged as possible. The best specimens are adults reared directly from pupae. • Characteristics are in hierarchical order of reliability. doi:10.3752/cjai.2021.43 2 Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 43 (February, 2021) PEACH ET AL. Anatomy: Lateral View of Head Male Female Note: for a more detailed overview of anatomy, see Wood et al. (1979) doi:10.3752/cjai.2021.43 3 Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 43 (February, 2021) PEACH ET AL. Anatomy: Lateral View